1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection recording apparatus for ejecting a liquid to form flying droplets so as that recording is performed a recording medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ink-jet recording method (liquid ejection recording method) have recently drawn attention in that occurring during recording is negligibly small and that high speed recording is possibly and moreover recording can be accomplished without requiring the special process of fixing images on so called plain paper.
Among, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid open No. 51837/1979 and DOLS No. 2843064 is different from others in that thermal energy is caused to act on liquid to there by obtain a driving force for liquid droplet discharge. That is, the liquid subjected to the action of the heat energy causes a state change which may result in a sharp increase in volume and by the action force based on this state change, liquid is discharged from an orifice at the end of the recording head portion, whereby flying liquid droplets adhere to the recording medium and thus, recording is accomplished.
A recording head used in the recording method as described above has a liquid discharge section and an electrical-thermal conversion member as a means for generating thermal energy. The liquid discharge section has an orifice for discharge a liquid droplet, and a thermal energy acting portion for acting thermal energy on the liquid and including a liquid flow path communicating with the orifice to discharge liquid droplets.
In a recording apparatus having such a liquid ejection recording head, a recording liquid for recording is supplied from a recording liquid storage portion (ink tank) arranged separately from the recording head through a supply pipe such as a flexible pipe. An electrical signal for driving the electrical-thermal energy conversion member of the recording head is supplied through a flexible cable from a drive circuit separately arranged from the recording head. In this recording apparatus, the recording head is fixed on a carriage. The recording liquid supply pipe is fixed by pressing, screwing or adhesion to a supply pipe connecting member of the recording head. The flexible cable for supplying the electrical signal to the recording head is fixed to the recording head after a wiring pad of the recording head and a connection pad of the flexible cable are pressed together, or by wire bonding, thermal pressing or the like.
In the conventional recording apparatus described above, the recording head is fixed on the carriage, and the recording liquid supply pipe and the electrical signal cable are connected to the recording head. Therefore, the operator cannot remove the recording head from the recording apparatus. For this reason, when the recording head malfunctions during operation, the user cannot remove it from the recording apparatus for replacement. In order to resolve this problem, the recording head must have a high reliability for long term operation. However, it is difficult to provide such a long life recording head. At the same time, manufacture of such a head requires strict quality control and causing a decrease in the manufacturing yield of the recording head and a complex structure of the head, thereby resulting in high cost.